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In a historic milestone for bilateral diplomacy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in Oslo on Monday, marking the first time an Indian prime minister has visited the Scandinavian nation in 43 years. Arriving for a two-day official tour following his engagements in Sweden, PM Modi's visit constitutes the crucial fourth leg of his ongoing five-nation international tour, aimed at comprehensively revitalising India-Norway strategic and economic relations.
Demonstrating a unique diplomatic gesture that underscored the significance of the visit, the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store, was personally present on the tarmac to receive the Indian leader. The high-profile welcoming delegation at the airport also featured Norway's Ambassador to India, May-Elin Stener, India's Ambassador to Norway, Gloria Gangte, alongside several other high-ranking dignitaries. Reflecting the mutual excitement surrounding the visit, PM Jonas Gahr Store took to social media to personally welcome the Indian premier. In a post on X, the Prime Minister of Norway stated, "Welcome to Norway, Prime Minister @narendramodi. It marks a historic moment: the first visit by India's Prime Minister in over 40 years. I look forward to how Norway, the Nordics, and India can strengthen cooperation on trade, green transition, and our common global challenges." https://x.com/jonasgahrstore/status/2056285380018626683?s=20 Expressing immense pride regarding the high-profile visit and noting the long-standing gap since an Indian leader last set foot in the country, Ambassador May-Elin Stener also shared her enthusiasm on X. "Honoured to welcome Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi to Norway." "Truly special occasion-the first visit by an Indian PM to Norway in 43 years. A reflection of our strong ties and shared ambitions," she wrote. https://x.com/NorwayAmbIndia/status/2056308525719269811?s=20 The itinerary for PM Modi's time in Oslo is packed with high-level engagements, including participating in the third India-Nordic Summit and holding critical bilateral discussions. While in the country, PM Modi is scheduled to call on King Harald V and Queen Sonja, besides holding extensive bilateral talks with PM Jonas Gahr Store. In a major push for economic synergy, the Indian leader will also join forces with his Norwegian counterpart to address the India-Norway Business and Research Summit. Elaborating on the core strategic objectives of this engagement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) observed, "The visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress made in India-Norway relations and explore avenues to further strengthen them, with a focus on trade and investment, capitalising on the India - EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, as well as on clean and green tech and blue economy." The diplomatic mission specifically aims to inject fresh momentum into financial and commercial dynamics that are already substantial. "The visit will also be an opportunity to induce momentum in bilateral trade worth around USD 2.73 billion (2024), and investments by Norway's Government Pension Fund (GPFG) of close to USD 28 billion in the Indian capital market," the MEA release further detailed. This modern partnership sits on deep historical foundations. The roots of diplomacy between India and Norway go back to February 1947, with Norway standing out as one of the earliest global powers to formally recognise independent India. Since that historic inception, the two countries have maintained a warm, constructive, and amicable relationship, according to the MEA. Ultimately, the enduring relationship between New Delhi and Oslo remains firmly anchored in a mutual commitment to democracy, societal diversity, gender empowerment, human rights, and the rule of law. This robust bilateral architecture continues to be reinforced through a steady cadence of high-level exchanges, parliamentary interactions, and ministerial dialogues. (ANI)
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